Welcome to the off-season

Greetings from the first week of the Reds off-season, where it’s been rather quiet. I don’t expect that to change a bunch until after the hot stove stuff really gets going after the World Series.

Has anyone been watching the postseason? I’ve been flipping around — the Rays-Rangers ALDS has gotten most of my attention for some reason. You have to appreciate what Tampa Bay is doing its $43 million payroll and it’s another example that proves opening the checkbook isn’t always the answer to a team’s problems. Of course, if the Rays get eliminated this afternoon, some of their fans might be thinking otherwise. But I still like their plan and their ability to stick with it.

On to some Reds news, sort of —

*There is nothing new on the contract talks with Francisco Cordero. The dialogue remains open but there is no vibe that a deal is imminent. Based on where things were last week, we’re a long way from a deal getting done for Brandon Phillips.

*If you are interested in the Reds prospects playing in the Arizona Fall League, play starts today. All of the Cincinnati players are with the Phoenix Desert Dogs, including pitcher Brad Boxberger and catcher Yasmani Grandal. The AFL web site is at MLBFallball.com.

*Before everyone dispersed for their off-season last week, I knocked out a few “exit interviews” with some players. Be on the lookout for stories about those guys in the coming days and weeks.

Until next time…

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4 Comments

I, too, have been rooting for the Rays but alas this afternoon their season ended. They are an inspiration to small market teams. They contend every year in what is arguably the toughest division in baseball. They compete with the “Robber Barons” of baseball. And they still make the playoffs more often than not. They build from within and they don’t sign big name free agents. I think the Reds are on this path. I am heartened by the talent coming up from the minors. Look forward to this off season to see what the Reds do.

I too admire the Rays and the way they run the team .. But I have not been rooting for them for a couple of related reasons (1) The play in a terrible ballpark and (2) They do not draw flies . There is no new ballpark on the way any time soon . The area should never have received a team in the first place. Frankly Florida MLB is a disaster . Neither Tampa or Miami deserve a MLB team . Lets hope things will get better for the Marlins in their new park anyway. Plus on the Rays , they were awful for a long time and received tons of high draft picks for the trouble . At least part of the reason for their recent success has to do with some of these high picks making it to the bigs . Sooner or later if you keep getting the high draft picks a few of them are going to succeed . Like it or not its better for the game if the post season games are played in better baseball venus like St.Louis , New York , Milwaukee , and even Dallas and Phoenix . Tampa will never be like that .no matter how many high draft picks they sign .. .

It takes time, maybe more than a generation. The thing that struck me, while attending several Marlin games in the 1990s and one Rays game more recently, was how immature in terms of baseball savviness the crowds there were. You could tell by their inappropriate reactions to certain situatiuons. If that’s still the case a generation from now, then you may be right: the mlb experiment in Florida has come a cropper.

I lived in Tampa for seven years. Went to many Rays games. There are some fans there that love the team and love baseball, but for the most part, Denny is right about the education of the fans there. They don’t know the game as well as most fans. They are there because it is an event, not necessarily to watch a baseball game. That is why they have concerts there every Saturday night home game and stuff like that to draw fans that then know wouldn’t come just to watch a game. The stadium is awful, I always felt like I was at a carnival or something. I will say though that I always had a good time. The complaints about the area are dumb, it’s actually not too bad. The complaints about not being able to get to the stadium are even dumber, it’s also not that bad. If they want more fans they have to move the team to Tampa. It would put so many people closer to the team because Orlando would only be an hour away. That’s their only hope, but the people there are too stubborn to realize it.
Curt

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